Mobile irrigation system and pipe coupling

ABSTRACT

A connection between pipe sections making up an elongate water distributing pipe for mobile irrigation apparatus to permit pivotal movement between interconnected pipe sections while maintaining a sealing relationship therebetween.

nited States Patent [1 1 Ririe et al.

[ 1 Dec. 11, 1973 MOBILE IRRIGATION SYSTEM AND PIPE COUPLING [75]Inventors: Max 11. Ririe, Gering; Murray C.

Roland; Rich Olson, both of Scottsbluff, all of Nebr.

[73] Assignee: Lockwood Corporation, Gering,

Nebr.

[22] Filed: Mar. 24, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 237,796

[52] U.S. Cl 239/177, 137/344, 239/212 [51] Int. Cl B05b 3/00 [58] Fieldof Search 239/177, 212;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,394,729 Bower et al239/212 X Johnson, Jr 239/177 Sherman 239/212 X Primary Examiner-M.Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-Michael Y. Mar Attorney-McDougall,Hersh & Scott [57] ABSTRACT A connection between pipe sections making upan elongate water distributing pipe for mobile irrigation apparatus topermit pivotal movement between interconnected pipe sections whilemaintaining a sealing relationship therebetween.

6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENIEU BEE I 1 I975 SHEET 2 OF 2 MOBILEIRRIGATION SYSTEM AND PIPE COUPLING This invention relates to a mobileirrigation apparatus in which use is made of an elongate waterdistributing pipe having a number of sprinkler outlets and in which theelongate pipe is supported at longitudinally spaced apart portions bymobile support towers that carry the pipe for traverse over the ground,and in which pipe sections are connected in sealing relationship in amanner to permit limited pivotal movement therebetween.

Self-propelled sprinkling systems for irrigation of large areas are nowwell known. In a typical system, use is made of a main distributor pipewhich may be as much as one-half mile in length. The inner end portionof the pipe is connected to a source of water for the supply of waterunder pressure to sprinkling heads spaced along the length of the pipefor dispensing the water onto the crops in the field that is covered bythe sprinkling system. The distributor pipe can be adapted to moveacross the field in a substantially straight line but it is usuallyconnected for rotation about a central pivot where the pivotal end ofthe distributor pipe is connected to the water supply. The distributorpipe is supported on a plurality of self-propelled towers limited atspaced intervals along the length of the distributor pipe and whichoperate to carry the pipe across the field. Typical systems areillustrated in U.S. patents of Zyback, U.S. Pat. No. 2,604,359; Behlen,U.S. Pat. No. 2,726,895; Bower et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,729; Curtis,U.S. Pat. No. 3,352,403, and Dowd, U.S. Pat. No. 3,342,417.

As a matter of practice, it is impractical to maintain perfect crosswisealignment between the towers on which the distributor pipe is supported.Usually, one tower, preferably the outermost tower, is adapted to beconstantly driven at a predetermined pace and the intermediate towerslocated between the driven tower and the pivot are controlled tomaintain a semblance of alignment between the driven tower and thepivot. Normally, the intermediate towers will lag a little behind orproceed ahead of the desired position of alignment and the independentdrive for each tower will be operated in response to an alignmentcontrol to either catch up or to wait for alignment position withintermediate towers.

As a result, the distributor pipe is subjected constantly to bendingmovements, mostly in a horizontal plane along the axis of thedistributor pipe, although the pipe may also be subjected to verticalbending movements due to travel of the towers over hilly terrain orground which has not been leveled.

In addition, such main water distributor pipe may stretch for a total ofone-half mile or more. Thus it is desirable to breakup the length ofpipe into a number of pipe sections and to accommodate the bendingmovements of the pipe at such connections by providing a sealedconnection between sections with controlled pivotal movementstherebetween.

To the present, use has been made of a coupling system into which theadjacent ends of the adjacent pipe sections are telescoped with sealingmeans between each of the ends and the coupling member to provide aflexible seal therebetween which enables relative angular movementsbetween the pipe sections. The adjacent ends of the pipe are pivotallyconnected one to the other within the coupling member for centeredcontrol of relative pivotal movements between the pipe sections and thecoupling member.

It has been found that such pivotal interconnection between pipesections internally of the coupling member for centered control makes itdifficult to gain access to the pivotal connection for assembly or fordisassembly and the pivotal connection within the coupling memberoccupies space which reduces the fluid capacity of the pipe.

Thus it is an object of this invention to provide means for connectionbetween pipe sections which enables pivotal movement in all directionswhile maintaining a sealed connection between pipe sections, in whichthe pivotal interconnection between pipe sections is external of theconnection to provide easy access for assembly or disassembly, and forremoval or replacement of sealing members and other parts, whichincludes means for centering the pivotal connection and which preventsinadvertent disengagement between the elements making up the sealedpivotal connection so as to insure the maintenance of the desiredassembled relationship in use.

These and other objects and advantagesof this invention will hereinafterappear and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, anembodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, inwhich FIG. I is a perspective view of the irrigation system embodyingthe features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the coupling member;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the coupling member of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the coupling hook member;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of the coupling hook member of FIG.4',

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view of the coupling eye member;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the coupling eye member of FIG. 6;and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the elements of FIGS. 2-7 assembled intoa flexible connection.

The invention will be described with reference to an irrigation systemwhich makes use of an elongate horizontally disposed water distributingpipe 10 which is provided with a swivel connection, at 12, at its innerend for pivotal attachment to the upper end of a feed pipe 14 which mayextend downwardly to an underground source of water or well or which isotherwise supplied with water.

The distributor pipe is provided with a plurality of spray nozzles 16 atfrequently spaced intervals along the length of the pipe to sprinklewater on the crop, as the distributor pipe moves over the ground. Thedistributor pipe is supplied with water under pressure, as by means of awater pump connected to the supply pipe or water tower.

A number of mobile towers T are arranged in longitudinally spaced apartrelation along the length of the distributor pipe with means forengaging the adjacent portions of the pipe for support. The number ofmobile towers T can be varied depending somewhat upon the spacedrelationship between supports and the length of the distributor pipe.The distributor pipe 10 can be suspended from the support by means of acable so as to be carried by the support. Instead, it can rest on thetower, as on a cradle rigidly secured to the support but, in accordancewith the preferred practice of this invention, the distributor pipe isrigidly connected with the support tower as by means of straps orstruts.

The mobile tower is not a critical element of the invention since mobiletowers of various constructions generally employed in the trade can beused.

As previously pointed out, mobile irrigation systems of the typedescribed make use of water distributing pipes which may stretch forover one-half mile from one end to the other. As a result, it isimpractical to make the distributor pipe available in a single length.It is desirable to subdivide the distributor pipe into a plurality ofseparate sections and to provide means for interconnection of theseparate sections in end to end relation, with a fluid seal betweenconnections, to enable transmission of water under pressure throughoutthe length of the interconnected pipe sections.

In addition, since, as previously pointed out, the water distributionpipe is subjected to a number of bending moments by reason of theunevenness of the ground over which the supporting towers travel and byreason of the non-uniform movements of the towers whereby one lagsbeyind or goes ahead of adjacent towers, it is desirable to limit suchbending moments to the interconnection between pipe sections whereby thelength of pipe will be put under minimum stress and strain.

This invention is addressed to the means for interconnection betweenpipe sections making up the elongate water distributor pipe, wherein thepipe sections are interconnected in a manner which enables relativeangular movement between pipe sections while maintaining a sealedrelationship therebetween, in which the pipe sections are pivotallyinterconnected in a centered relationship such that the interconnectioncan be maintained notwithstanding the relative angular movements betweenpipe sections, and in which the centered interconnection between pipesections is external of the pipe for ready access for engagement ordisengagement of the connection for replacement or repair of parts.

Referring now to the drawings, the pipe sections are pivotallyinterconnected, preferably, though not necessarily, immediately adjacenta mobile tower T for maximizing the support of the pipe sections attheir interconnection. For this purpose, the adjacent end portions 70and 72 of the pipe sections 74 and 76 respectively to be pivotallyinterconnected are provided with brackets 78 and 80, fixed, as bywelding to the top side of the pipe sections, and spaced a shortdistance from the ends thereof.

A hook member in the form of an elongate arm 82 having a downturned end84 is secured to one of the brackets 80 with the arm extendinghorizontally in vertically spaced apart parallel relation with thedistributor pipe 72 and with the arm 82 extending in the directiontowards the end of the pipe and dimensioned to have a length to extendbeyond the end of the pipe for a short distance, with the hook portion84 extending downwardly for a distance slightly less than the distancebetween the arm and the adjacent peripheral surface of the pipe so as toterminate a short distance from the surface of the pipe.

An eye member, in the form of a horizontally disposed plate 86 having aneye opening 88, is secured, as by welding, to the bracket 78 with theplate 86 extending horizontally in parallel relation above the surfaceof the distributor pipe section 74 by an amount less than the spacedrelationship between the arm 82 and the pipe but more than the distancebetween the end of the hook member 84 and the level of the pipe so thatthe hook member will extend through the eye 88 for pivotalinterconnection when the pipe sections 76 and 74 are in alignment intheir interconnected relation. For this purpose, the eye opening 88 isdimensioned to be larger in cross section than the hook end 84 of thearm to enable the hook member to extend downwardly therethrough. The arm82 and the plate 86 are dimensioned to position the hook and eye insubstantial vertically aligned relationship midway between the ends ofthe pipe sections 74 and 76, when in their interconnected relation, todefine the pivotal point therebetween.

The adjacent end sections 72 and of the pipe sections 74 and 76 areflexibly connected in sealing relationship to provide a continuouspassage therebetween, by means of a coupling member 90 in the form of acylindrical section having annular grooves 92 and 94 in the end portionsthereof for receiving 0 rings 96 as sealing elements between thecoupling member and the ends of the pipe sections extending therein intelescoping relation. The coupling member 90 is dimensioned to have adiameter slightly greater than the end sections 70 and 72 of the pipesto enable the coupling member to be telescoped over the pipe ends and itis dimensioned to have a length whereby the annular grooves whichsupport the 0 rings are spaced one from the other by an amount greaterthan the ends of the pipe sections in their interconnected relationshipso that the ends of the pipes will project into the coupling member fora distance beyond the 0 rings for flexible sealing engagement betweenthe telescoped end portions of the pipe and the coupling member.

With reference to the pivotally interconnecting hook and eye members,the coupling members should be dimensioned to have a length greater thanthe distance between the hook and the adjacent end of the pipe plus theeye and the adjacent end of the other pipe so that the 0 ring containingportions will engage the pipe ends when the hook and eye members are intheir pivotally interconnected relation.

To insure that the coupling member will remain centered between theinterconnected pipe sections, the top side of the coupling member isprovided at its center with a locating bracket 98 which extends upwardlyfrom the top side of the coupling member for a distance greater than thedistance between the end of the hook member 84 and the top side of thepipe or coupling member so that the end of the hook will extend into thepocket 100 of the bracket when in the assembled relation. The bracketshown is in the form of a U-shaped member having parallel legs 102 and104 with the ends of the legs having crosswise aligned openings 106 forthe insertion of a latching pin 108 thereby to close the opening andconfine the hook 84 in a manner to prevent inadvertent displacement fromthe locating bracket.

Thus the bracket and book are aligned with the pivot point between theinterconnected pipe sections and serve to latch the coupling member inits centered relation between the end sections 70 and 72 of theinterconnected pipes to prevent relative endwise movement or inadvertentdisengagement between the coupling member and any one of theinterconnected pipe sections.

Thus the interconnected hook 84 and eye 88 represent the pivot pointabout which the adjacent pipe sections can turn relative to one anotherin use while retaining the pipe sections in their interconnectedrelationship with the coupling member.

Because of the centered pivotal connection between pipe sectionsexternally of the pipe, it is possible to effect the connection ordisconnection in a simple and efficient manner, merely by removal of thepin 108 to enable displacement of the hook 84 from the bracket 98 afterwhich a pipe section can be withdrawn from the coupling and the hook andeye members disengaged for separation of the elements for repair orreplacement of parts or merely for separation of the pipe lengths.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the details ofconstruction, arrangement and operation without departing from thespirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a mobile irrigation apparatus having an elongate horizontallydisposed water distributor pipe, an inlet at one end for introduction ofwater under pressure, a plurality of discharge nozzles spaced along thedistributor pipe for applying water as the distributor pipe is carriedover the land, and a plurality of mobile supports in spaced apartrelation along the length of the distributor pipe for support of thepipe at longitudinally spaced apart portions, the improvement whereinthe elongate distributor pipe is subdivided into a plurality of shorterpipe sections with means for interconnecting the pipe sections in end toend relation for a continuous passage therebetween and means forenabling a pivotal movement between the interconnected pipe sectionswhile maintaining a sealed relationship therebetween comprising acoupling member dimensioned to have a length greater than the distancebetween the ends of adjacent pipe sections and a passage therethroughwhich is greater than the outer wall to all dimension of the pipesections to enable the ends of the adjacent pipe sections to betelescoped therein and resilient sealing means between the telescopedend portions of the pipe sections and the coupling member, means forreleasably connecting the adjacent pipe sections one to another and thecoupling member comprising a hook member fixed to one of the pipesections spaced outwardly from the outer periphery of the pipe andextending beyond the end of the pipe with a hook end portion turnedinwardly in the direction towards the pipe, and an eye member similarlyfixed to the other pipe section having an eye opening in a portionextending beyond the end of the pipe in position for insertion of thebook end therethrough, said hook and eye members being substantiallyradially aligned with about the mid portion of the coupling.

2. A mobile irrigation apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which theportion of the hook member spaced outwardly from the pipe is parallelwith the pipe and spaced therefrom by an amount greater than thedifference between the radius of the pipe section and the radius of thecoupling member.

3. A mobile irrigation apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which theportion of the hook member is spaced from the periphery of the pipe byan amount greater than the eye member connected to the other pipesection to enable the hook portion to be inserted through the eyeportion.

4. In a mobile irrigation apparatus having an elongate horizontallydisposed water distributor pipe, an inlet at one end for introduction ofwater under pressure, a plurality of discharge nozzles spaced along thedistributor pipe for applying water as the distributor pipe is carriedover the land, and a plurality of mobile supports in spaced apartrelation along the length of the distributor pipe for support of thepipe at longitudinally spaced apart portions, the improvement whereinthe elongate distributor pipe is subdivided into a plurality of shorterpipe sections with means for interconnecting the pipe sections in end toend relation for a continuous passage therebetween and means forenabling a pivotal movement between the interconnected pipe sectionswhile maintaining a sealed relationship therebetween comprising acoupling member dimensioned to have a length greater than the distancebetween the ends of adjacent pipe sections and a passage therethroughwhich is greater than the outer wall to wall dimension of the pipesections to enable the ends of the adjacent pipe sections to betelescoped therein and resilient sealing means between the telescopedend portions of the pipe sections and the coupling member, means forreleasably connecting the adjacent pipe sections one to another and thecoupling member comprising a hook member fixed to one of the pipesections spaced outwardly from the outer periphery of the pipe andextending beyond the end of the pipe with a hook end portion turnedinwardly in the direction towards the pipe, and an eye member similarlyfixed to the other pipe with a hook end portion turned inwardly in thedirection towards the pipe, and an eye me mber similarly fixed to theother pipe section having an eye opening in a portion extending beyondthe end of the pipe in position for insertion of the hook endtherethrough, an enclosure extending outwardly from an intermediateportion of the periphery of the coupling member and in which theinturned hook on the end of the hook member terminates at a level beyondthe enclosure but before the outer wall of the coupling member wherebythe hook will be entrapped within the enclosure for retaining theelements in their centered relation when assembled.

5. An irrigation apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which the hookterminates at a distance spaced from the periphery of the pipe sectionof an amount which is greater than the difference between the radius ofthe pipe and the radius of the coupling member but less than suchdifference plus the height of the enclosure.

6. An irrigation apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which the enclosureis in the form of a U-shaped member having openings in the opposite legsof the U- shaped portions and a locking pin insertable through saidopenings to close the open end of the U-shaped portion

1. In a mobile irrigation apparatus having an elongate horizontallydisposed water distributor pipe, an inlet at one end for introduction ofwater under pressure, a plurality of discharge nozzles spaced along thedistributor pipe for applying water as the distributor pipe is carriedover the land, and a plurality of mobile supports in spaced apartrelation along the length of the distributor pipe for support of thepipe at longitudinally spaced apart portions, the improvement whereinthe elongate distributor pipe is subdivided into a plurality of shorterpipe sections with means for interconnecting the pipe sections in end toend relation for a continuous passage therebetween and means forenabling a pivotal movement between the interconnected pipe sectionswHile maintaining a sealed relationship therebetween comprising acoupling member dimensioned to have a length greater than the distancebetween the ends of adjacent pipe sections and a passage therethroughwhich is greater than the outer wall to all dimension of the pipesections to enable the ends of the adjacent pipe sections to betelescoped therein and resilient sealing means between the telescopedend portions of the pipe sections and the coupling member, means forreleasably connecting the adjacent pipe sections one to another and thecoupling member comprising a hook member fixed to one of the pipesections spaced outwardly from the outer periphery of the pipe andextending beyond the end of the pipe with a hook end portion turnedinwardly in the direction towards the pipe, and an eye member similarlyfixed to the other pipe section having an eye opening in a portionextending beyond the end of the pipe in position for insertion of thebook end therethrough, said hook and eye members being substantiallyradially aligned with about the mid portion of the coupling.
 2. A mobileirrigation apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the portion of thehook member spaced outwardly from the pipe is parallel with the pipe andspaced therefrom by an amount greater than the difference between theradius of the pipe section and the radius of the coupling member.
 3. Amobile irrigation apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the portionof the hook member is spaced from the periphery of the pipe by an amountgreater than the eye member connected to the other pipe section toenable the hook portion to be inserted through the eye portion.
 4. In amobile irrigation apparatus having an elongate horizontally disposedwater distributor pipe, an inlet at one end for introduction of waterunder pressure, a plurality of discharge nozzles spaced along thedistributor pipe for applying water as the distributor pipe is carriedover the land, and a plurality of mobile supports in spaced apartrelation along the length of the distributor pipe for support of thepipe at longitudinally spaced apart portions, the improvement whereinthe elongate distributor pipe is subdivided into a plurality of shorterpipe sections with means for interconnecting the pipe sections in end toend relation for a continuous passage therebetween and means forenabling a pivotal movement between the interconnected pipe sectionswhile maintaining a sealed relationship therebetween comprising acoupling member dimensioned to have a length greater than the distancebetween the ends of adjacent pipe sections and a passage therethroughwhich is greater than the outer wall to wall dimension of the pipesections to enable the ends of the adjacent pipe sections to betelescoped therein and resilient sealing means between the telescopedend portions of the pipe sections and the coupling member, means forreleasably connecting the adjacent pipe sections one to another and thecoupling member comprising a hook member fixed to one of the pipesections spaced outwardly from the outer periphery of the pipe andextending beyond the end of the pipe with a hook end portion turnedinwardly in the direction towards the pipe, and an eye member similarlyfixed to the other pipe with a hook end portion turned inwardly in thedirection towards the pipe, and an eye me mber similarly fixed to theother pipe section having an eye opening in a portion extending beyondthe end of the pipe in position for insertion of the hook endtherethrough, an enclosure extending outwardly from an intermediateportion of the periphery of the coupling member and in which theinturned hook on the end of the hook member terminates at a level beyondthe enclosure but before the outer wall of the coupling member wherebythe hook will be entrapped within the enclosure for retaining theelements in their centered relation when assembled.
 5. An irrigationapparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which the hook terminates at adistance spaced from the periphery of the pipe secTion of an amountwhich is greater than the difference between the radius of the pipe andthe radius of the coupling member but less than such difference plus theheight of the enclosure.
 6. An irrigation apparatus as claimed in claim4 in which the enclosure is in the form of a U-shaped member havingopenings in the opposite legs of the U-shaped portions and a locking pininsertable through said openings to close the open end of the U-shapedportion